haven't posted any home improvement updates lately

But that doesn't mean that they haven't been happening.

So, first up, the list of completed (or, nearly completed) projects:

The Backyard
I'm pleased to report that the deck (yeah, remember that one? The project we started last April?!?!) is *this close* to being finished. The only thing left to do is to put the front boards (for lack of a better term) on the stairs. I'm guessing that will happen the next nice weekend day we get. I cannot wait to start using the deck when the weather gets nice again. I'm already visualizing lots of summer entertaining out there.

The front and back hallways
Except for putting down carpeting and removing the unsightly cedar shingles that lined the walls (what were they thinking?), we largely ignored the hallway in our efforts to get the rest of the house in shape and move in. Our rationale was that when we eventually did our big gutting and renovation of the kitchen and den, the hallway was going to go, so why bother fixing it up? Well, after two years of looking at unsightly half primed, half spackled walls and a ceiling stained with old wallpaper glue, I got the urge to do something about it. Evan and my dad were kind enough to do most of the hard work help me with my 'vision'. We painted the ceiling a crisp, fresh white and the walls are a color called 'sundial', which is the lightest shade on the strip that our living and dining room walls are on. It really looks good. Aside from no longer looking like a crackhouse hallway, an added benefit is that the color of the walls somehow lessens the effect of the not so pristine anymore carpeting. We do still need to install a light fixture in the back hallway (right now, we're still sporting the interrogation lightbulb look), but other than that, it is done.

Projects in the hopper:
The Fireplace.

Ah, the fireplace. I, for one, have gotten used to the boarded up look, but Evan has ants in his pants to finish it. Given that I think almost anything would look great (as far as a surround and a mantle), I'm inclined to just let Evan do whatever he would like with this one (and, since I'm such a control freak about all other design decisions, it would probably be good for my marriage to just give him this one). Depending on the size of our anticipated tax refund this year, we may opt to put a gas fireplace in. They really appeal to me, so it is just going to come down to whether or not we have the money to spend on it. If I were a betting girl, I'd say that we don't end up with one, and that the fireplace project won't be completed before the next fireplace season (late fall). We'll see.

The Den

This one is a secret...shhhh! Evan has no idea I am considering doing anything in there, as the den, too, has generally fallen under the 'we're just going to gut it so why bother' umbrella. But, now that the hallway is painted so nicely, to me, the den stands out as the one, unfinished room in the house. I'm not talking anything too drastic, but the walls need to be painted (they are primer white, currently) and the ceiling fan/light set that we bought 2 years ago really needs to be installed. I just need to time it carefully before I spring this one on him. So again, taking a guess, I'd say this is likely to be a late spring/summer project.

There are, of course, a million other things we need/want to do, but those are the biggies until the big renovation happens (whenever that day comes). Slowly but surely, the house is coming together.